10 Post-Credit Scenes That Came to Nothing

Over the last decade, post-credit scenes have become a common fixture of blockbuster films, included to tee up a sequel or a spin-off. Audiences now know not to leave a movie before the credits have rolled if they don't want to miss out on an exciting tease about what's coming next.

The MCU popularized the post-credit scene, as seen with the hit movie Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credit scenes teasing the future of the multiverse. However, it's fair to say that there are post-credit scenes that went nowhere. Some tease an exciting new villain or storyline, only for the planned sequel to be scrapped, leaving fans frustrated by what could have been. While the filmmakers have good intentions when crafting these moments, trying to get audiences excited about the next chapter in the hero's story, it's clear that fans are becoming more aware of the tricky nature of these scenes, especially when they are included in films that don't have any future.

10 'X-Men: Apocalypse' (2016)

Directed by Bryan Singer

It’s unfortunate that the X-Men: Apocalypse post-credits scene dangled a tantalizing villain but opted to abandon it. In the post-credits scene, a team meticulously collects Wolverine's blood at William Stryker’s (Josh Helman) base. This vial is then entrusted to a mysterious figure carrying a briefcase emblazoned with the logo of The Essex Corporation. Comic book fans know exactly what this means — it's a not-so-subtle hint at the arrival of Mr. Sinister, the notorious geneticist whose dark experiments have plagued the X-Men for years.

The X-Men have faced many foes, but few are as unsettling as Mr. Sinister. A pale figure with an imposing stature, he's a master of genetic manipulation, capable of creating clones and unleashing horrific experiments on mutants. He was fixated on the Summers lineage, particularly Cyclops and Jean Grey, as seen in the hit Disney+ show X Men ‘97. Hopefully, he’ll make an appearance in future MCU X-Men projects.

X-Men: Apocalypse

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9 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (1986)

Directed by John Hughes

John Hughes' timeless classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the all-time most rewatchable movies and one of the earliest examples of a mainstream film featuring a post-credit scene. After watching Ferris ditch school to have the best day of his life (complete with a fancy car, a fancy meal, and an impressive musical number), audiences wait through the credits to be rewarded with one last joke.

The scene features Ferris in his dressing gown at home, surprised that the audience is still there. He tells them that the film is over and to go home because there's nothing left for them to see. This scene has been parodied a lot in the years that followed, with Mr. Bean, Deadpool, and others putting their own spin on the classic gag.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

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8 'Charlie's Angels' (2019)

Directed by Elizabeth Banks

Writer/director Elizabeth Banks did an excellent job bringing a somewhat dated franchise into the modern day with her take on Charlie's Angels. Starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska, the film didn't attract audiences despite the worthy talent on display. In the movie, the angels face off against John Bosley (Patrick Stewart), who is revealed to be a traitor working with the villainous Alexander Brok (Sam Claflin).

However, a sequel was clearly planned as the movie featured an entertaining post-credit scene featuring cameos from household names such as Ronda Rousey, Hailee Steinfield, Lili Reinhart, and Danica Patrick, to name a few. The cameo also showed that Elena now had her angel tattoo, showing she was a full-fledged member of the renowned and secretive agency.

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7 'Battleship' (2012)

Directed by Peter Berg

On the back of the success of the Transformers franchise, Hasbro decided to try and launch another franchise based on a popular children's toy. Despite assembling a stellar cast of talent, including Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Decker, and Rihanna, Battleship pleased neither audiences nor critics.

The studio had been planning for a sequel, as was clear from the film's post-credits scene, which sees an asteroid crash down to earth. A family rushes to investigate the strange occurrence but runs in the opposite direction when an alien hand reaches out of the rock. It's unclear what a sequel would've looked like, especially because interest in Battleship was nearly non-existent; still, the complete lack of self-awareness from the studio, thinking they had a franchise on their hands, must be applauded.

Battleship

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6 'Daredevil' (2003)

Directed by Mark Steven Johnson

Given that he's currently starring as The Penguin in The Batman universe, now is an excellent time to look back at Colin Farrell's previous foray into the world of comic book villainy: Bullseye in Daredevil. The film starred Ben Affleck in the titular role alongside Jennifer Garner, Farrell, and Michael Clarke Duncan but never captured the spirit and style of the comics.

The studio was counting on a sequel, though, as they included a post-credit scene of the gravely injured Bullseye in a hospital bed. He only has a few uninjured fingers, but he can still kill a fly with a syringe, showing that he would have been back and better than ever in any potential sequel. It's great to see Farrell again – he was one of the few accurate castings in this notorious turkey. However, the film was such a bomb that any plans for a sequel died along with that fly.

Daredevil

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5 'Power Rangers' (2017)

Directed by Dean Israelite

Before they were each a member of Charlie's Angels, Elizabeth Banks and Naomi Scott were fighting against one another in Power Rangers, an underwhelming big-screen reboot and adaptation of the hit TV show. Fans took issue with the film, notably the odd pacing, clunky action scenes, and thin character development. However, the studio had actually planned to make three sequels and included a post-credit scene to tee up the first of these next installments.

In the scene, Tommy Oliver's name is called out repeatedly at registration before audiences are given a glimpse of Tommy's green jacket slung across his chair. Fans of the series will know that Tommy Oliver is the Green Ranger, and a sequel would have focused on his introduction to the team. And while this movie ultimately went nowhere, Hasbro is moving ahead with a new Power Rangers cinematic universe that isn't connected to the 2017 version.

Power Rangers

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4 'Suicide Squad' (2016)

Directed by David Ayer

Director David Ayer was unhappy with the studio interference on his Suicide Squad movie, and it isn't hard to see why. The film feels odd and mismatched as if two different movies were spliced together without much thought. Still, as with all superhero properties, Warner Bros had planned a future for these characters, potentially involving Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) going toe to toe with Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck).

In the scene, the two characters meet in an empty restaurant where Waller asks for Bruce's help keeping the film's events and Taskforce X from the world. He agrees in exchange for information on all the known metahumans to help him build his Justice League. Before he leaves, however, Waller hints that she knows how Bruce spends his evenings, suggesting that she may have used that information to blackmail Bruce at some point in the future. Alas, Suicide Squad ranks as one of the worst DCEU movies, so fans will unlikely ever see any plot from this movie playing a relevant role again.

Suicide Squad

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3 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' (2023)

Directed by David F. Sandberg

Poor Shazam never got a chance. The sequel to the already critically underwhelming 2019 movie Shazam!, Shazam! Fury of the Gods features the return of the titular and somewhat forgettable hero to fight the Daughters of Atlas, who want to retake the power of the gods bestowed upon Billy and his siblings.

Fury of the Gods features two post-credit scenes that are likely dead on arrival. The first hints that Shazam will join the Justice Society, while the second features Mr. Mind again after using him in the same way during the first movie's post-credit scene. Both scenes are intriguing but ultimately useless; Fury of the Gods crashed and burned at the box office, meaning any hope for a third Shazam! movie is gone, and it's a shame because the film is charming and fun. However, with DC's current state, it's best if they let go of the past and focus on the future.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

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2 'Justice League' (Theatrical Version) (2017)

Directed by Zack Snyder

Audiences were not impressed with the theatrical version of Justice League, so it's no real surprise that the studio currently has no plans to forge ahead with a sequel. That said, the post-credit scene dropped several intriguing concepts that fans would've certainly loved seeing.

The post-credit scene introduces audiences to Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke, a popular Batman and Teen Titans villain yet to be featured in a major movie. Deathstroke meets up with Lex Luthor, fresh out of jail, and Lex hints that he wants Deathstroke to join a team of supervillains that he's putting together. The scene was a shameless setup for a sequel, but the Snyderverse infamously crumbled, and DC is currently desperately trying to move away from it.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

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1 'Black Adam' (2022)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Dwayne Johnson's star vehicle Black Adam tried to elevate a B-list DC villain into the A-list and failed spectacularly. The film tells Black Adam's origin story, reframing him as an antihero and protector of the city of Kahndaq. It also introduces the Justice Society of America and features arguably the most infamous post-credit scene in modern history.

The scene sees Henry Cavill's return as Superman. The Man of Steel visits Black Adam and suggests they "talk," hinting at a future team-up or fight between them. Johnson used the scene to generate heat for Black Adam in the days leading to its release, to no avail. The film was a massive flop, tanking any future for Johnson or Cavill in James Gunn's new DC and dealing yet another blow to fans who had been waiting for Cavill's return for years.

Black Adam

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NEXT: The Earliest Post-Credits Scenes of All Time, Ranked by Age

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